James j



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ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application med July 23, 1898.)

(No Model.)

INVEN T 0R WITNESSES ma Norms dans co. vnuaumm. wAsmNcfoN, o. r.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

l JAMES J. FAULKNER, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE STANDARD 'GAS MACHINE COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

ACETYLENE-G'AS G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 624,467, dated May 9, 1899.

, Application filed July 23,1898. Serial No. 686,700. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. FAULKNER, of Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Acetylene Gas ;V and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for manufacturing acetylene or other gas, the object b eing to provide means for automatically discharging a predetermined amount of calciumcarbid or other gasproducing substance into the gas-generator at intervals as the gas is consumed and as rapidly as needed.

With this end in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations vof parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional view of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same, the ratchet mechanism and connecting parts being shown in side elevation; and Fig. 3 is a view of the apparatus in which are shown two automatically-operated carbid-dischargers.

A represents a stationary cylinder, open at its upper end and provided with a flaring month 2, adjacent to which latter is secured a packing-ring 3. Within this cylinder moves a second cylinder or gas-holder 4. This cylinder or gas-holder is provided near its lower open end with a packing-ring 5, or, if desired, a series of spacing-blocks may be employed in lieu of said ring, while its upper or domeshaped end is provided with an opening 6, into which is secured a receptacle, the outer or exposed section of which is preferably circu-VA lar in cross-section, While'the lower or inner Vter are adapted to receive and discharge calcium carbid, as will be hereinafter described.

On the shaft carrying wheel 1l is fixed a ratchet-wheel 13, the inner face thereof being located against or adjacent to one of the outer walls of receptacle 7 This ratchet-wheel is engaged by a pawl 14, pivotally mounted on the lever 15, the forward end of which Alatter is loosely mounted on the wheel-shaft, while its opposite end has pivotally secured thereto a depending arm 1,6. 'lhis arm 16 when the movable cylinder or gas-holder descends is adapted to abut against and rest on a hood 17, carried by the free end of gas-discharge pipe 18.

From the construction thus far described it will be seen that as the gas is exhausted from the generator the inner or movable section of the generator, which carries thereceptacle 7, descends, and during the descent of the latter the arm 16, depending from the lever 15, makes contact with the hood 17, thus preventing the arm and the free end of the lever from further downward movement. The opposite end of the lever and thev pawl, which is intermediate the ends of the lever, continue their descent, and as the downward movement of the feed-wheel and end lever connected to the feed-wheel shaft is greater than the downward movement of the pawl a tooth of the ratchet-Wheel in contact with the pawl 14 is crowded against the latter, thus operating to turn the ratchet-Wheel a distance sufficient to discharge4 the contents of one pocket in the face of the feed-wheel. After the carbid' or cylinder the gas generated therefrom again elevates the inner cylinder, thus allowing the lever 15 to assume its normal position. The

`normal position of the lever 15 is perfectly IOO Afeeding device.

horizontal, as shown, and it is sustained in such position or is prevented from dropping when the inner cylinder is elevated by a pin or other device 18, preferably carried by the receptacle 7.

In order to prevent any excess of calcium carbid or other gas-generating substance over and above the amount contained in a single pocket from passing into the water contained within cylinder A, I have provided a brush 18?, which latter is carried by the lower end of receptacle 7 and is so located as to contact with and sweep the periphery of wheel11 when the latter is moved, as above described.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 I have provided the movable cylinder or gas-holder 4.

with a pair of calcium-carbid receptacles, each of which is divided into two compartments by a valve 19. The larger of these receptacles or carbid holders is provided with dumping or discharging mechanism, as described in connection with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that the pockets 12 are made to receive a smaller charge of calcium carbid.- The other receptacle is provided with a bottom 20, having a hole or opening located therein, which latter is normally closed by a slide 22. This slide is connected up with lever 15 by the arm 23, integral with said lever, and by a link 24 and is operated by the movement of the arm 23 toward said receptacle, thus providing for automatically feeding carbid calcium or other,

gas-generating substance to the water from two independent points. Vhen two carbiddischarging receptacles are employed instead of one, provision is made whereby the total amount of calcium carbid discharged at a single operation will be no greater than `the amount discharged from a sin gle receptacle or pocket on the device employing but a single The most important advantage derived from the employment of two carbid receptacles and feeding devices, is, that should either of said feedingdevices fail to discharge, a sufficient amount of calcium carbid would still be deposited into the water from the other to keep the apparatus in operation, which would not be the case in the event that but a single receptacle and feed device were employed. ThecyliuderAemployedwiththis type of generator is preferably provided with a spout 24, the purpose ot' which is to ll the cylinder with water and replenish the waste, and also to provide additional water-pressure, without affecting the height of the water in said cylinder. The packing-ring located at or near the top of cylinder A is protected by a metal plate 25, whereby said ring is'firmly held against displacement during the operation of the apparatus.

Should an excessive amount of gas be generated in either of the forms described, the surplus thereof would be allowed to escape from the movable cylinder or gas-holder as soon as the port 27 arrived at a point above packing-ring 3, thus avoiding all danger of an explosion due to excessive pressure within the generator.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The cylinder A and receptacle 7 having been properly charged, the movable cylinder is allowed to descend, during which operation thelower end of depending arm 1G comes in contact with'the top face of hood 17, and the continued downward pressure on the part of said cylinder causes pawl 14 to push against a tooth on ratchet-wheel 13 and turn the feed-wheel 1l, as previously described, so as to discharge the calcium carbid located in one of its pockets, said calcium carbid falling into the water contained in the cylinders. From this single discharge suiiicient gas is generated to raise the movable cylinder, so that arm 16 will be held out of contact with hood 17 until the gas has been consumed. The pockets contained in feed-wheel 11 are filled by gravity during their passage within receptacle 7, and hence the operation of generating the gas may be continued automatically and indefinitely, it being only required to keep the said receptacle iilled with calciu tn carbid or other gas-producin g substance.

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 is practically as above, the only difference being that a double discharge of gas-generatin g substance is provided for. The valves shown in this figure are for the purpose of preventing the escape of gas when a new supply of carbid or other gas-producir] g substance is required.

It is evident that changes in the construction and relative arrangement of the several parts might be made without avoiding my invention, and hence I `would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1; In a generator for acetylene gas, the combination with an outer and an inner cylinder, of a carbid-receptacle carried by and depending within the inner cylinder, a'feed-wheel mounted at the lower end of said carbid-recept-aclea gas-outlet pipe terminating above the Water-line in the inner cylinder and operating means for said feed-wheel actuated by coperation with the gas-outlet pipe when the inner cylinder descends, substantially as set forth. l

2. In a generator for acetylene gas, the combination with an outer cylinder, open at its top and an inner cylinder, open at its lower end, of a pair of carbid or other gas-producing-substance receptacles carried side by side by said movable cylinder and each provided with valves for automatically discharging a predetermined amount of carbid or other substance into the water contained in said cylinders, and operating means common to both valves.

3. In a generator for acetylene gas, the com- Ioo IIG

bination with a cylinder and an inner cylinder or bell projecting thereinto, of a series of carbid-receptacles carried by the inner cylinder or shell and each adapted to discharge directly into the Water contained in the cylinders, a valve at the discharge end of each carbid-receptacle, means Within the inner cylinder or bell common to all of said valves for automatically opening and closing the same simultaneously and a valve intermediate of the ends of each carbid-receptacle, substantially as set forth.

4. Ina generator for acetylene gas, the combination With an outer cylinder, open at its top and an inner cylinder, open at its lower end, of a pair of carbid-receptacles carried by said movable or inner cylinder, 011e of said receptacles being provided at its lower end with a feed-Wheel having peripheral pockets, the remaining receptacle being provided with a bottom having an opening therein, said opening being normally closed by a slide and In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing witnesses.

` JAMES J. FAULKNER.

Witnesses:

J. F. HUDSPETH, 4LOUIS DUsH. 

